More than anything else, it was Aaron Brocksieck’s consistency that eventually separated him from the rest of the hobby stock division at Quincy Raceways.

The consistency that saw him produce more top-five and top-10 performances than any driver in the series also propelled him to the first Stevie Dirt Hobby Stock Driver of the Year award.

Brocksieck, 32, who clinched his first track championship Aug. 24 following a late-season duel with Wes Mayfield, is also the headliner of the inaugural Hobby Stock All-Dirt team that features four other drivers distinguished by first- and second-row selections. (That’s right, first and second "rows," not first and second "teams." This isn’t football, it’s racing.)

Drivers of the Year and All-Dirt teams for the stock car, modified and late model divisions will also appear in this space in the coming days.

Selection of Driver of the Year was based on a variety of categories, including track points, Stevie Dirt regional rankings (applicable in the late model and modified classes) and a host of statistical categories that have appeared in this space throughout the season.

Beyond the raw numbers, the most impressive item about Brocksieck was his ability to stay out of trouble and finish races. All of those top fives add up over the course of a five-month Sunday night grind.

STEVIE DIRT DRIVER OF THE YEAR PROFILE: AARON BROCKSIECK

Residence: Camp Point, Ill.Track points: 577, 1st Total victories: 9, 2ndFeature victories: 4, 1st-tieSecond places: 2Heat victories: 5, 4th-tie Top 5s: 11, 1stTop 10s: 15, 1st-tieFeature points: 553, 1st-tieSecond-half points: 350, 2ndHeat points: 24, 4thHerald-Whig Performance Points: 134, 4thDriver Dominance Index: .895, 1stDriver Dependability: .975, 1st Feature laps led: 35, 5thNotable: This was Brocksieck’s third season in the series, and he improved each season. He was ninth in points in 2006 and third in 2007 before his breakthrough campaign. Comment: If Brocksieck returns to hobby stocks in 2009 he’ll be the favorite to make it two titles in a row, but don’t be surprised to see him in a stock car next spring.

STEVIE DIRT ALL-DIRT FIRST ROW: Wes Mayfield, Steve Carlin

Wes Mayfield

Residence: Hull, Ill.Track points: 576, 2nd Total victories: 7, 5th-tieFeature victories: 4, 1st-tieSecond places: 3Heat victories: 3, 6thTop 5s: 10, 2nd-tieTop 10s: 14, 3rdFeature points: 553, 1st-tieSecond-half points: 353, 1stHeat points: 23, 5thHerald-Whig Performance Points: 141, 3rdDriver Dominance Index: .893, 2ndDriver Dependability: .917, 3rdFeature laps led: 22, 7thNotable: Mayfield won both the midseason and season championship races, but missed the track title by one point. If he would have added a track championship to those other accomplishments he would have been the first "triple crown" winner in this division since Dave Wietholder in 2001. Comment: This was Mayfield’s first full season in the series in 11 years and he comes THAT close to a championship. What will the second time around hold?

Steve Carlin

Residence: Hannibal, Mo.Track points: 565, 3rd Total victories: 8, 3rd-tieFeature victories: 2, 5th-tieSecond places: 2Heat victories: 6, 2nd-tieTop 5s: 9, 4th-tieTop 10s: 15, 1st-tieFeature points: 537, 3rdSecond-half points: 340, 3rdHeat points: 28, 2ndHerald-Whig Performance Points: 123, 5thDriver Dominance Index: .876, 3rdDriver Dependability: .969, 2ndFeature laps led: 55, 2nd-tieNotable: By Carlin’s standards, this was an off season, but he will enter 2009 when the opportunity to overtake — or at least move within striking distance of — series legend Eddie Dieker in some notable career categories. Carlin now trails Dieker in total victories (91-73), feature wins (39-27), heat victories (51-45) and career points (5,731-4,846).Comment: Not only did Carlin’s feature victory total tumble from 12 to 2, he went almost five months between checkered flags. He won on April 6 and did not finish first again until Aug. 31